Exactly one year ago, I met Michelle. At the time, she was a student in a graduate course I was teaching. She was transformed by understanding that her work was her ministry. Michelle wrote to me later, “Last night I gave the keys of my company over to its new CEO, Jesus Christ. What a wonderful relief to have Jesus take the reins.”

I could not have imagined the rest of the story.

Last week, I was again teaching in the same city. Michelle’s daughter, Jana, an undergrad student, came bouncing into the room to greet me and exclaimed, “Guess what!”

I knew I couldn’t.

“We’re moving to another country!”

Jana told me, “Jesus loved us and gave us life. My mom, Michelle, and I wanted to create jobs in Canada as a way to love people and live like Jesus and make disciples. People all over the place in my mom’s company are learning to live and love like Jesus.”

Michelle’s transformation had impacted numerous major cities in Canada where her company offices were located, but it still wasn’t enough kingdom impact for her and her family. They had been to Central America four times during the last year and reached a decision. Jana told me, “Dr. Sharp, we got what you were saying and we have been acting on it in Canada and now we are going to do it overseas! My mom’s business is up for sale and our whole family — even me — is moving to Central America. It’s what Jesus would do!” I wept, because Michelle and Jana both grasp the impact that job-makers can have.

Their vision — to help the people living off garbage dumps find viable jobs and a relationship with Jesus — is a wonderful picture of how Jesus intended cross-cultural disciple-making to be.